§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why job advertisements for Government survey interviewers placed inThe Observer specify that people should be aged between 20 and 50 years.
§ Mr. Brooke[holding answer 27 October 1988]: The Civil Service applies age limits to recruitment only where they are necessary to ensure the requirements of the work and the needs of the Department are fully met.
The age limits for social survey interviewers are set in accordance with the demands of the work and the need to secure a reasonable period of service to justify the training investment.
My officials keep the matter of age limits for all competitions under continuous review.